Best-bets for Aug. 6: good cop show/and more
1) “Good Cop/Bad Cop” return, 9 p.m., CW. If you missed this excellent show the Read more…
Mike Hughes
August lull? TCM offers star marathons
Just as TV hits its low point, Turner Classic Movies fills the void.
It does that each August, with “Summer Under the Stars.” Each day brings a marathon of films from one star.
Some of those people have been featured often. On Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 9-10), Elizabeth Taylor (shown here with Paul Newman) and Clark Gable will be back-to-back.
But others get their first time in the August spotlight. Read more…
Best-bets for Aug. 5: It’s THE great movie night
1) Classic films. For movie buffs, this is one of the best nights ever. It has films that are No. 2 (“The Godfather,” 1972, 7 p.m., Showtime) and No. 3 (“Casablanca,”1943, sown here, 10 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies) on the American Film Institute list, trailing only “Citizen Kane.” And at midnight ET, TCM has “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), listed at No. 26. Read more…
Best-bets for Aug. 4: games for brawn and brains
1) “American Ninja Warrior,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. The multi-week finals begin. Over this month, we’ll see contestants racing side-by-side (shown here), in a bracket-style competition. That collides with another summer powerhouse, “Bachelor in Paradise,” from 8-10 on ABC. Read more…
It was a double-wedding flurry
Actors’ lives are full of extremes — long lulls and busy bursts.
Still, few can match Melissa Johns’ packed stretch. In two weeks, she had two weddings (one real, one not), two grooms, two churches and strong emotions … up to a point; “It stops feeling special when you’re on the 11th take,” she said.
That was for the fictional wedding, for “Grantchester.” The real one didn’t require any do-overs.
As “Grantchester” nears its season-finale (9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3), let’s look back: Read more…
Best-bets for Aug. 3: a dramatic night of finales
1) “Grantchester” season-finale, 9 p.m., PBS. Last week, Geordie (a cop) traced possible info about the birth mother of Alphy (a vicar). Alas, Alphy raged.at the intrusion, Now there are deep emotions for these friends (shown here) to unpack — while solving a complex case that includes a right-wing activist, bomb threats and a key assist from Larry, the newlywed cop. Read more…
Week’s top-10 for Aug. 4: gymnasts, aliens and cops
1) U.S. Gymnastics Championships, 7-9 p.m. Sunday, NBC. Here are the women’s finals, a day after the men (6:30-9 p.m. ET Saturday, CNBC). If you prefer larger (much larger) athletes, it’s the first full week of the pro-football pre-season. The NFL Network has games at 7 and 10 p.m. ET Thursday; 7 Friday; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 4 Sunday. Read more…
Best-bets for Aug. 2: film gems — Barbie and Charlie
1) “Barbie” (2023), 8 p.m., TBS; or “The Sound of Music” (1965), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. In one way, these are opposites: “Barbie” (shown here) reflects a joyous feminism; “Music,” set in 1940s Austria, doesn’t. But both offer vibrant visuals and music, plus appealing stars. Both drew Oscar nominations for best-picture, which “Sound of Music” won. Read more…
Best-bets for Aug. 1: new sheriff, angsty alien
1) “Fire Country,” 8 p.m., CBS. This fall, Morena Baccarin — formerly of “V,” “Homeland” and “Gotham” — will stars in “Sheriff Country.” First, here’s her second “Fire Country” episode, setting it up. With her nephew Bode (they’re shown here), she probes the attempted murder of her estranged father. More reruns follow, with a ski-lift malfunction and an out-of-control house fire. Read more…
Coppola: mini-budgets, maxi-budgets, triumphs
As cable prepares its Coppolathon, it’s time to reflect on a dazzling career,
On Thursday (July 31), Turner Classic Movies will show Francis Ford Coppola, 86, receiving the American Film Institute’s lifetime achievement award. That’s at 8 p.m. and midnight ET, alongside two Coppola films — one epic (“Apocalypse Now,” shown here) and one not (“The Rain People”).
This is a career that has weaved through the extremes — some soft porn, a couple cheapies, a tad of comedy, two musicals and some great dramas. Read more…